Since the advent of the industrial revolution preventing injuries to machine operators or workers that work near certain machines and assembly/process lines has been a major concern to both industry and government agencies. These workers are prone to various types of industry-related accidents and are especially susceptible to eye injuries resulting from flying particles and other hazardous substances. As a consequence of these eye injuries general industry safety orders and government regulations have been implemented to safeguard employees working in locations where there is a risk of receiving such injuries.
The primary eye safeguard is the wearing of safety glasses, goggles or face shields in known hazardous areas. If a worker does not use prescription eyeglasses if is a simple matter to obtain and wear one of these protective devices. However, for those workers that must use prescription eyeglasses the wearing of goggles and face shields over their glasses is at best cumbersome and in many cases can reduce or distort peripharal vision, viewing clarity and depth perception. Because of these viewing problems, users of prescription eyeglasses, in most cases, will purchase a second pair that are made with safety glass.
To compound the problem, the safety eyeglasses, in most instances, must have temples that include top and side safety shields. If the glasses are equipped with conventional temples a set of snap-on safety shields must be attached before entering a restricted area.
A search of the prior art disclosed some eyeglass frames having detachable temples. However, the attachment method did not include a positive lock nor were any eyeglasses located that included detachable temples that incorporated top and side shields. Additionally, the search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention however, the following U.S. patents were considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,798,455 Yoe, etal 17 January 1989 3,582,192 Gitlin 1 June 1971 3,021,753 Vinson 20 February 1962 ______________________________________
The yoe patent discloses user reconfigurable novelty glasses that include separate eyeglasses frames and temples. The frames and temples may be readily combined with each other and with other separate eyeglass frames and temple pieces to form a variety of novelty sunglasses. The invention features a design that allows each eyeglass frame to be used with either the user's right or left eye and each temple piece may be used over either the user's right or left temple and ear.
The Gitlin patent discloses an eyeglass frame that has relatively light, decorative overlays. The overlays are removably mounted on the frame and/or temples and can be readily removed and replaced by different colored or design overlays.
The Vinson patent discloses an eyeglass frame that is detachable from the temples. The aesthetic value of the frame is improved by having an eyeglass frame/temple fastening means that is concealed from view. One of the objects of the invention is to provide an outer eyeglass frame which is readily interchangeable so that the style or color of the frame may be selected to correspond to, or complement the wardrobe of the wearer.